Grants: Anything with this word attached to it is a gold mine-literally. Grants are NOT loans. Unlike loans, grants DO NOT have to be repaid. The Federal Pell Grant is just one of many government grants available for students whose families make less than $20,000 a year. This money can be used for rent, books, and tuition and it is FREE MONEY from the government. In order to be eligible to receive the Federal Pell Grant and other government grants you need to fill out the FAFSA, which can be found here: . Additionally, go to for a full directory of grants that could help pay for your photography degree! It’s always a great idea to narrow down the criteria because fewer applicants means a greater chance that you will receive the grant. You can use the advanced search option to narrow down the eligibility criteria. For instance, choose the state or county that you reside in to see a complete list of grants strictly reserved for your area.
Federal Subsidized Loans: The government provides the lowest interest rates on loans compared to private lenders-so ALWAYS take federal loans before you take out private ones. More importantly, know the difference between federally subsidized loans and federally unsubsidized loans. Federally subsidized means you won’t be charged interest on your loans until you graduate. To make the deal even sweeter the government provides several options for paying back your loans after you graduate. You can make payments as low as $15 a month! While a loan isn’t free money, taking a federally subsidized one in order to get your photography degree is a great option to pay for school on a limited budget.
Scholarships: All schools are different and when trying to earn your photography degree on a limited budget, it’s crucial to find out from each school’s financial aid office if they have scholarships that you might qualify for. All colleges are not the same- one school might have a scholarship set aside for single mothers returning to school, while another might have money for graduating seniors with a 3.5 GPA. Whatever your circumstance in life, there are scholarships available through the financial aid office and they vary from schools to school. Make sure to let them know you will be pursuing a photography degree because many schools have departmental scholarships set aside for students like you.
Most importantly, don’t let the bad economy convince you that you should forgo your degree. With a little bit of creative thinking and by utilizing the resources listed above you can turn your dream of earning your photography degree into a reality without breaking the bank.
Get information on photography degrees by using the form on this page. School representatives will guide you through the process and answer an questions you might have.
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